After hundreds of responses to the last issue of the Hiram No. 7
Worldwide Newsletter, I am publishing this information per your request.
In reading all the replies you sent to me, I have found there to be a
true thirst for real information on such things as fund raisers, lodge
attendance, community involvement and community recognition.

Below you will find a description of one segment of the VISION 2013
program in progress by the Grand Lodge of Tennessee. Free Masonry will
be 200 years old in Tennessee in the year 2013, hence the name. This is
the program that will bring Free Masonry in Tennessee into the 21
century, as you will see, by a group of very dedicated men.

If you are using Windows and you want a hard copy of this newsletter,
highlight the text below (ctrl + a), then copy (ctrl + c), open your
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For your information, the snailmail newsletter goes to 524 recipients
and the electronic newsletter reaches out to another 1,494 worthy
Brothers via the Internet worldwide each month. It goes to every state
in the Union and into 23 different countries.

If you have any comments, suggestions or articles that you wish to
see in the newsletter, please Email them to me at
gradyh@bellsouth.net.

VISION 2013 AND HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

In August 1996, the VISION 2013 committee discussed the possibility
of Tennessee Lodges cultivating a state wide partnership with HABITAT
FOR HUMANITY as a vehicle for the local lodge to increase community
involvement and their own visibility. The committee felt that the
building aspect of HABITAT is a natural fit with Masonry and that the
community service nature of HABITAT fits well with VISION 2013
strategies and goals. As a result of this discussion, Grand Master
Alton Tollison appointed a task force consisting of Brothers Tom Boduch,
Bob Daniel and Bill Whisel to develop such partnerships. These brethren
subsequently developed, (and with the help of the Grand Lodge),
distributed informational material, have been visiting Lodges to discuss
HABITAT, and are coordinating efforts between our Lodges and the 45
Active Tennessee HABITAT affiliates.

Each of the task force members are actively involved with their local
HFH affiliates as Construction Site Supervisors. Brothers Boduch and
Daniel also serve their affiliates as HFH Board Members. Brother
Boduch, the incoming Grand Marshal, is a Past Master of Union Lodge #38,
and works with Roane County HFH. Brother Bob Daniel is a member of
Mt.Juliet Lodge #642 and works with Nashville HFH. Brother Bill Whisel
is a Past Master of Saint John's Lodge #332 and works with Jackson Area
HFH.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL is a non- profit, ecumenical
Christian housing ministry which seeks to eliminate poverty housing and
homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of
conscience and action HABITAT helps to build both new homes and renovate
older structures. Founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, HABITAT,
has helped provide safe, decent and affordable shelter for more than
50,000 needy families world wide. As of November 1996, HABITAT was the
5th largest builder in the world. At the projected rate of growth, HFHI
will probably be the #1 world-wide home builder by the end of the
decade.

On September 9, 1996, Millard Fuller was awarded the Presidential
Medal of Freedom by President Clinton who said, I do not think it is an
exaggeration to say that Millard Fuller has literally revolutionized the
concept of philantrophy. What makes HABITAT revolutionary is that it is
operated as a Hand Up and not a Hand Out. Prior to actually owning
their homes, HFHI Families must work 500 hours of sweat equity helping
construct their own homes and those of other HABITAT homeowners, and
subsequently, make monthly payments on a NO INTEREST mortgage.

HABITAT relies on volunteer labor for much of its efforts. The
majority of volunteers work on house construction, volunteers, however,
are also needed to serve on committees and to help with the
administrative aspects of running a local affiliate. Though Christian
oriented, HABITAT invites people from all walks of life and of all
faiths to work together in partnership to help build houses with Gods
people in need.

Former President Jimmy Carter has been actively involved with HFHI
since 1984. A JIMMY CARTER WORK PROJECT will be held June 15 to 21 at 6
sites in eastern Kentucky and one in Tennessee (Morgan and Scott
Counties). Fifty houses will be built in one week over these 7 sites.
During this week, many Tennessee HFH Affiliates will also be building
houses. In an attempt to make more people aware of HFHI, affiliates are
seeking new volunteers and to get other groups (such as our Lodges)
involved during this high profile week.

Our incoming Grand Master, M. W. John Palmer is very enthusiastic
about this partnership. He feels that the partnership presents a unique
opportunity for us to demonstrate to our communities that Freemasonry is
about the business of making our society a better place for all of us to
live. He feels that by partnering with churches and others in the
community, we can act on the principles we teach within the walls of the
lodge and counteract some of the false accusations which have been
recently leveled at our fraternity. This should go a long way toward
reestablishing the reputation and esteem that the fraternity once
enjoyed among those in our society who are not members. He promises to
make himself available to participate in as many local partnerships as
time and scheduling will allow.

More information about HFHI can be obtained from the task force
Members, your local HABITAT affiliate, the Grand Lodge of Tennessee or
on line as follows:

3. Establish statewide officer and committee training programs.

4 Emphasize new member orientation and education programs.

6. Produce and distribute a media kit to assist local lodges in
obtaining favorable publicity.

7. Grand Lodge Building enhancement fund emphasis.

8. Emphasize community involvement at the local lodge level including
scholarships and the sponsoring of youth sports teams.

9. Cultivate a state wide partnership with HABITAT FOR HUMANITY as a
vehicle for the local lodge to increase community involvement and their
own visibility.

I'm finding that typically Masons, who are on the Internet, care
about our Fraternity and want to make a difference in their communities.
Bill and I have found that there are many Masons who are not active with
their Lodges, but have sought out and worked with HFH on their own,
observing that basically HFH puts what we teach in Masonry into action.
The TN Mason article will help get the word out, but Email, I'm
confident, will reach a wider group of active Masons.

(Editor's note: I am a world renown expert on my opinion, and MY
opinion only, and here it is; Of all the Lodge newsletters that go out
each month, including the Grand Lodge newsletters, only about 10% of
those newsletters fall into the hands of ACTIVE Masons. Judging from
the responses you have sent to me, this newsletter goes to better than
90% ACTIVE Masons.)

In Roane County, we've built 13 houses in the past 5 years. Our
Lodge Secretary, Brother Henry Wattenbarger) and Oldest Living Past
Master (he'll be 80 in September, he was WM in 1948) has helped me work
on most of the houses. Often times especially on a Framing day, an
inactive Brother would see Henry (he knows everyone in town and has only
had 2 NPDs in 6 years--he used to be a FHA bill collector), and say
hello. Henry would introduce me as the Master (I served for 2 years,
and we built 8 houses during this time so this scenario happened fairly
frequently); the brother would hang his head low and apologize for not
coming to Lodge. He would cite lack of time, now knowing how to get
back in etc. Several times over the Lunch hour, Henry would vouch for
him, and we'd teach a lecture, or go over grips etc. We got some
brethren to come back to lodge in this manner. Many such brethren would
typically say--HFH is Masonry in action-- why don't you get the Lodge
involved?

Note from the Editor (again): In trying to maintain the KISS
principal and to make life easier for you, this newsletter is set up so
that if you want to respond with questions, comments or just establish
communications with an active Brother, hit REPLY and type in your text.
All replies will automatically be Emailed to Tom Boduch, he would love
to hear from you.

The Mother of all Disclaimers: Hiram No. 7, and more especially the
Editor, cannot be held responsible for any typos, wrong dates, wrong
figures, incorrect addresses, bad information, inclement weather,
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anything in this newsletter that might help you or others.